Hollywood and Vine by the way of
the nursery take this whale dead-home.

Well, if I called the wrong number, why did you answer the phone? – James Thurber

Look me over
Take it all in
The veins in my hands
The spots on my skin

See the spirit in my eyes
Note the power
Of my calves, lean
Well taught.
Life in the second half
I intend no surprise

See the spirit in my eyes
Then walk away.

I remember you.

Ken Pienkos is a former public library director from rural Pennsylvania with BS and MLS degrees in Library Science and a 2009 Library Journal/ALA “Mover and Shaker” Award. He recently completed the MFA Creative Writing Program at Antioch University in Los Angeles where he is currently the Reference & Instruction Librarian and on the Management Team of the University’s online writing program, inspiration2publication.com. Ken and his family live among the potatoes in a lettuce crisper at their Los Angeles home. He performed a solo one-act at Skylight Theatre and joins Queerwise LA in spoken word readings. Pienkos has been living with HIV since December 1985.